I am just over a week removed from an accomplishment that I still cannot wrap my head around.  I qualified for the Ironman World Championships in the 70.3 mile distance.  When I first started triathlon about 9 years ago I did so in an attempt to keep myself lean and moving while trying to maintain my competitive drive.   I never imagined that I would have the success that I have had given my spinal fusion.   It is because of this success that I can say (given my make up) that it has all been worth it despite the extra wear and tear.  I can also say that I feel VERY comfortable officially calling it quits for long distance triathlon!

I am also just over a week away from my cervical rhizotomy which will hopefully take the edge off of often debilitating stabbing neck pain and awful tension headaches and migraines.  Also as I very much expected after this last race my low back hardware and low back pain is acting up and cannot be ignored.  If it weren’t for the decades I have been managing and dealing with this pain I would think it unbearable.  It is not though it often feels that way.

I look forward to some modest pain relief, continued focus on exercise and healthy eating while doing a little more reading and possibly writing.   It wouldn’t hurt to be able to continue working as well!  In addition I will have to find other more relatable ways to reach out to the Metal Parts community in order to be a source of encouragement, motivation and perhaps even inspiration to press for living life to it’s fullest despite our limitations.